Sorting installation

ABSTRACT

A sorting installation for useful products is proposed, which serves in particular to sort out reusable packaging materials. In order to achieve the sorting-out of individual types of packaging with maximum efficiency, the sorting-out of individual monofractions is undertaken, on one or more manual sorting sections, onto a collector conveyor belt which is connected in parallel, the content of which, after sorting-out is complete, is introduced into an associated bunker.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a sorting installation.

A sorting installation for sorting useful products from dry refuse suchas paper, glass, cardboard, plastics or the like has been disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 3,595,389. In this installation, the mixture of usefulproducts to be sorted is passed via conveying devices to a manualselection belt, where manual sorting workplaces having drop shafts areprovided. At these workplaces, the useful products to be sorted aretaken manually by the employees from the manual selection belt andplaced in drop shafts arranged to the side of the operative. The dropshafts assigned to a particular useful product fraction then lead to theuseful product bunkers situated below, from which the useful productscan be disposed of as an individual fraction.

The device according to the U.S. Pat. No. 3,595,387 makes provision fordifferent drop shafts to be assigned, in each case, to the operativesstanding by the manual selection belt so that the operatives are eachrequired to concentrate only on certain useful products. In general,however, it is envisaged that each operative will be required to sortout a large number of individual useful products from the manualselection station.

This type of sorting of useful products has the disadvantage that,firstly, a large number of drop shafts has to be present in eachoperative's section in order to dispose of the large number of usefulproducts arising, such as paper, glass, metal, material, board,plastics, etc. This results in a high space requirement and a highmechanical effort, since the drop shafts have to be guided tocorresponding bunkers with complex guide devices.

Furthermore, the sorting of a large number of useful products createsdifficulties for the operative insofar as a constant process of thoughtis necessary in order to assign each useful product picked up by hand toa particular drop shaft.

In addition, the arrangement of the drop shafts can in some cases bedisadvantageous, that is to say ergonomically unsatisfactory, since eachoperative has to service a plurality of drop shafts.

A remedy for this can be provided by a sorting system in which eachoperative sorts out only a single useful product fraction from a usefulproduct mixture and passes this to a nearby drop shaft. Such atreatment, is, however, somewhat impracticable with a running manualselection conveyor belt, since the useful product mixture passes theoperative too rapidly.

A further sorting device has been disclosed by EP-0 123 825 A2. In thissorting installation, the useful products to be sorted out are guided ona circular conveying path, beside which are arranged both manual andautomatic sorting workplaces with drop shafts. With such a system, thematerial to be sorted can be kept in a cycle until the individual usefulproduct fractions are sorted out. With this installation, also, thevarious useful products are passed by an operative into various dropshafts.

The core concept of the sorting-out of useful products is the reuse ofthe raw materials contained in valuable packaging material. For thispurpose, the "Dual System" was established in Germany, guaranteeing thatindustry would take back packaging materials of all types. For thispurpose, the packaging which are intended to be passed to a recyclingprocess for reuse are provided with the so-called "Green Dot". Thisrelates to packagings of all types such as glass, tinplate, aluminum,board/cardboard, paper, plastics and laminates. The objective is tocollect on a large scale these packaging materials which are produced,to sort them and to return the recovered individual fractions to arecycling process. The problem arising here is that, in the future, hugequantities of packaging material will be produced in an unsorted stateand will have to be treated accordingly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to optimize the known sortinginstallations with a view to being able to achieve a higher throughput.This applies in particular to manual sorting workplaces.

This object is achieved, starting from a sorting installation of thetype described initially, by providing at least one sorting section forsupplying a variety of useful products for sorting therefrom a pluralityof specific useful product monofractions. A plurality of useful productbins are provided, each being designated to receive a specific usefulproduct monofraction from the variety of useful products. At least onecollection device is positioned parallel to the sorting section forreceiving the specific useful product monofraction and conveying thespecific useful product monofraction from the sorting section to adesignated useful product bin. The collection device is still during afirst operating cycle so that the specific useful product monofractioncan be received by the collection device, and is operatable during asecond, successive operating cycle in which the collection deviceempties the specific useful product monofraction thereon into thedesignated useful product bin. The first and second operating cycles arerepeatable for sorting at least an additional different specific usefulproduct monofraction from the variety of useful products. The coreconcept on which the invention is based is that the effectiveness ofmanual sorting-out is much greater if the operative standing at thesorting workplace sorts out, in each case, only one particular usefulproduct fraction. It is expedient here if a large number of operativesstand by a particular stretch of a manual selection belt, all of themsimultaneously removing a particular useful product fraction from thesorting belt which is, if possible, stationary and passing it to anearby collection device. The collection device must then be switched sothat, during this working interval or working cycle, the collecteduseful product fraction is passed to a collection bunker which isentirely specific to that fraction. When a particular useful productfraction is sorted out from the sorting belt or manual selection beltwithin this working cycle, then, in a subsequent working cycle, anotheruseful product fraction, again over a particular period for alloperatives simultaneously, is passed to the collection device and fromthere, in turn, to another particular useful product bunker.

In this manner, the consecutive sorting-out of the individual usefulproducts from the manual selection belt can be carried out at very highspeed and with very high effectiveness, the collection device beingrequired to receive only one particular useful product fraction in eachworking cycle and passing this continuously or intermittently to aparticular useful product bunker.

From this useful product bunker, the sorted-out fractions are then eachbrought to a conveyor device from where they are passed, for example, toa baling press.

The collection device assigned to the sorting belt or manual selectionbelt in order to receive a particular useful product fraction in aparticular working cycle can be of widely varied design. In the simplestform, this collection device can be, for example, a conveyor beltconnected in parallel to the manual selection belt and serving as aninterim store. This interim store is then charged, in the respectiveworking cycle, with a particular useful product fraction. In thisarrangement the working cycle is generally designed to last until theparticular useful product fraction has been very largely sorted off themanual selection belt. Thereafter, this interim store, for exampledesigned as a conveyor belt, is emptied by the passing of the materialto an associated bunker. This can expediently be achieved in that aconveyor belt which can be driven in both directions is located above alarge number of bunkers, arranged side by side, and the conveyor belt isarranged to be longitudinally displaceable in both longitudinaldirections, in a manner such that one of the two dropping ends islocated above the associated useful product bunker.

It has proven very expedient if an additional preliminary storage deviceis assigned to the collection device, and especially to the collectorbelt, to receive a certain useful product fraction from the operative,on which preliminary storage device the useful product fraction whichhas been sorted out is initially placed.

This charging of the preliminary storage device takes place at leastover a period such as is required by the actual collection device, thatis to say the collector belt, in order to pass the useful productfraction resting on it to a particular useful product bunker.

During this period, the operating personnel can already, in a subsequentworking cycle, introduce the new useful product fraction into thepreliminary storage device, without any loss of time occurring. When thecollection device has been emptied of a particular useful productfraction, the content of the preliminary storage device with thesubsequent useful product fraction can be placed on the collector belt.

The preliminary storage device can be designed in a wide variety ofways. In general, the useful product fraction sorted out in each workingcycle has to be received in an interim store in order to bridge theperiod of emptying of the collection device, that is to say of thecollector conveyor belt. If no such time-lag exists because of theset-up of the system, it is possible wholly or largely to dispense withsuch a preliminary storage device.

For example, the collection device can also be designed as a pneumaticconveyor line to the individual useful product bunkers, in which casethe flow conveyed to the associated useful product bunker must beregulated accordingly. In this case, the preliminary storage device canbe designed, for example, as a bucket wheel or drum magazine, in orderto feed a particular useful product fraction to the pneumatic conveyorline at a particular point in time.

If conventional collector conveyor belts are used as the collectiondevice, the preliminary storage device can, for example, consist of auseful product collector channel, having a deflector flap, whichreleases the useful product fraction at a given time to be fed onto thecollector belt.

It is also possible, for example, to provide two collector belts lyingside by side which are assigned to a manual selection belt or sortingbelt. By means of appropriate deflector flaps, one of these collectorbelts in each case is then charged with a particular useful productfraction, during which the other collector belt undertakes the operationof emptying into the associated useful product bunker.

The critical feature is the avoidance of intervals in which theoperating personnel are no longer able to carry out the sortingoperation because of the emptying operation of the collection device orof the collector belt. This has to be avoided with suitable preliminarystorage devices, which receive the useful product fraction to be sortedout for at least sufficiently long for the collector belt to be freedagain in order to receive a new useful product fraction.

The sorting installation according to the invention provides, in itsbasic embodiment, a sorting belt or a manual selection belt to which areassigned a collector belt as a collection device and useful productbunkers which, in turn, correspond to the latter. It is of course alsopossible for a plurality of sorting belts to be connected in parallel,each of them having associated collector belts. Various useful productmixtures can then be moved on the parallel sorting belts past thesorting workplaces, upstream sorting devices being responsible forpreliminary separation of the packaging material or useful productsdelivered.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Further details of the invention are shown in the drawings. Anillustrative embodiment of the invention is explained in detail, withreference to these drawings, in the description which follows, furtheradvantages being indicated.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a lateral view and

FIG. 2 a plan view of a sorting installation according to the invention,in an overall representation,

FIGS. 3a and 3b show a plan view of three manual selection or sortingbelts, connected in parallel, with associated collection devices anduseful product bunkers lying below the latter, in various workingpositions, and

FIGS. 4a-4i show individual representations of the arrangement betweensorting belt and collector belt, with a preliminary storage or interimstorage device, which may or may not be present, lying between them.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The illustrative embodiment which follows is described with reference toa sorting operation for a useful product mixture such as can be used,for example, in the "Dual System" to dispose of packaging materialbearing the "Green Dot". The packaging occurring here my consist ofglass, tin plate, aluminum, board/cardboard, paper, plastic, laminatesor the like.

FIG. 1 shows a lateral view and FIG. 2 a plan view of the sortinginstallation 1 with various sorting sections. The bags which aredelivered containing the mixture of useful packaging product areintroduced into a bunker conveyor 2 which is only showndiagrammatically, and fed to a bag opening system 3. In the bag openingsystem 3, the bags are opened and completely emptied. The loose usefulproduct material is transported onwards by a conveyor belt 4. Thisconveyor belt thins out the material, and the ferrous materials arelifted out from the flow of material by an FE separator 5. The materialmixture, freed of ferrous materials, is then placed on a downstreamscreening machine 6 and divided into three part-streams, these being aresidual fraction 7, a middle fraction 8 and an overflow fraction 9.These useful product streams are shown by corresponding arrows in FIG.2. The fundamental structure of the screening machine 6 is described inthe applicant's EP 0 168 495 B1. Reference is hereby expressly made tothis printed publication.

The residual fraction 7 can be withdrawn from the material mixture inthe first region of the screening machine 6. It passes over the conveyorbelt 10 to a residue bunker 11.

The middle fraction 8 is discharged onto the conveyor belt 12 via thescreening machine 6. Similarly, the overflow fraction 9 is dischargedonto the conveyor belt 13.

The conveyor belt 12 passes the middle fraction 8 onto a downstreaminclined sorting machine 14. The structural form of such an inclinedsorting machine 14 is described in the applicant's EP 0 123 825.Reference is also hereby expressly made to this printed publication.

The material mixture 8 passed onto the inclined sorting machine 14 isseparated, because of the structural form of the inclined sortingmachine 14, into "flat" and "rolling" constituents. The "flat" mixedfraction 15 is transported via a conveyor belt 16 to aluminum-containingseparator 17. Aluminum-containing materials are separated out here andre-sorted on the downstream conveyor belt 18. One drop shaft 19 receivesaluminum and another drop shaft 20 receives additional aluminumlaminates. The residue passes via a drop shaft 21 to a further residuebunker.

The flat mixed fraction 15 treated by the separator 17 passes as a flatmixed fraction 22 onto a conveyor belt 23 which leads to a first manualsorting section or first sorting belt 24.

The "rolling" fraction 25 from the inclined sorting machine 14 istransported via a conveyor belt 26 to a second manual sorting section orsorting conveyor belt 27.

The overflow fraction 9 of the screening machine 6 passes via theconveyor belt 13 to a third manual sorting section or third sortingconveyor belt 28.

In FIGS. 3a and 3b, the sorting section of the sorting installation withthese three manual sorting sections 24, 27, 28 is again showndiagrammatically and enlarged. Beside these three manual selectionsections or manual selection conveyor belts 24, 27, 28 there stand,depending on the length of this section, a large number of operativeswho undertake manual sorting of the incoming mixed fractions 22, 25, 9.This is further described below.

For all manual sorting sections 24, 27, 28, the possibilityfundamentally exists of dropping the material to be sorted out directly,via variable drop shafts, into boxes lying below. Such a drop shaft 29,which is optionally present, can for example be arranged at any desiredpoint of any manual sorting section 24, 27, 28 and be connected to aconveyor belt 30 lying below the latter. This is diagrammatically shownin FIG. 2.

The essential sorting task, however, is performed by means of thecollector conveyor belts 31 to 33, assigned to each of the manualsorting sections 24, 27, 28 and lying next to the respective manualsorting sections. These belts 31 to 33 may also, for reasons of space,lie below the sorting belts 24, 27, 28, in which case suitable baffleplates are to be provided. These collector conveyor belts 31 to 33 serveto receive a very specific individual fraction, which is sorted out bythe operatives from the respective manual sorting section during aparticular working cycle. The starting position for such sorting isshown in FIG. 3a. For example, five to ten people stand by the sortingbelt or the manual sorting section 24 and sort out, from the flat mixedfraction 22 arriving from the conveyor belt 23, the packaging materialconsisting of flat board or cardboard, throwing this onto the collectorconveyor belt 31. This operation is also shown in FIG. 4a, taking theexample of a single user 34. In this case, it is to be noted that alarge number of users 34 undertake the same working operation, that isto say they remove, in the respective working cycle, only a singlefraction from the mixed fraction 22 during a working cycle, for exampleflat cardboard or board as a monofraction 35. Consequently, there isexclusively a single monofraction 35 to be found on the nearby collectorconveyor belt 31. In this arrangement, this working process is carriedout batchwise, that is to say that the manual sorting section 24 and thecollector belt 31 are stationary during the given working cycle.

Similarly, for example, 5 to 10 operatives 34 stand by the second manualsorting section 27, select a single monofraction 36, for example plasticcups (yoghurt cups), from the rolling mixed fraction 25 arriving fromthe conveyor belt 26, and throw this monofraction onto the assignedcollector conveyor belt 32. Finally, another 5 to 10 operatives 34likewise stand by the third manual sorting section 28, select, from thestationary sorting belt 28, a further monofraction 37 from the overflowfraction 9 coming from the conveyor belt 13 and throw it onto thestationary collector conveyor belt 33. This monofraction 37 can, forexample, relate to mixed plastics.

The length of the working cycle of these individual sorting operationsat the three manual sorting sections 24, 27, 28 is designed to besufficiently long for it to be possible, substantially, to remove fromthe respective sorting belt all the monofractions which are to be sortedout. This means that the consecutive working cycles can also be ofvarying lengths, in order thus to be correctly adapted to the respectivemonofractions to be sorted in terms of the volume thereof that occurs.The current working cycle can be displayed for the operating personnelon an optical display.

Below the manual sorting sections 24, 27, 28, there are, according tothe illustrative embodiment, seven bunkers which are designated in theillustrative embodiment 101 to 107. In this arrangement, the bunker 101contains mixed plastics, the bunker 102 board/cardboard, the bunker 103cups, the bunker 104 foils, the bunker 105 beverage cartons, the bunker106 foams and the bunker 107 aluminum and Al laminates. A drop shaft 38is assigned to each individual bunker, as shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b.

The dropping operation into these drop shafts 38, forming part of thesorting-out described above, is shown in FIG. 3b. For this purpose, thecollector conveyor belts 31 to 33 are displaceable in both directions intheir axial longitudinal direction and can be reversed in theirconveying direction.

For example, the collector conveyor belt 31 must--if necessary--bemoved, with the monofraction 35 (board/cardboard) placed on it, with itsdrop region 39 to the drop shaft 38 of the associated bunker 102 andprovided with a correspondingly leftward oriented conveyor belt drive40. As shown in FIG. 3b, the monofraction 35 then falls into the dropshaft 38 of the bunker 102 intended for board/cardboard.

Similarly, the monofraction 36, for example cups, placed on thecollector conveyor belt 32 is introduced by a longitudinal displacementof the collector conveyor belt 32 into the bunker 103. As can be seenfrom FIG. 3b, the collector conveyor belt 32 has shifted to the rightfor this purpose, so that the drop region 39 comes to rest above thecollection bunker 103 for this monofraction.

Finally, the monofraction 37 (eg. mixed plastics) discharged from themixed fraction 9 is also introduced by the collector conveyor belt 33into the bunker 101, the collector conveyor belt 33 adopting theleft-hand end position shown in FIG. 3b in order to position the dropregion 39 above the drop shaft 38 of the bunker 101.

The same operation takes place on each occasion with the furtherindividual fractions or monofractions to be sorted out, which are to beintroduced into the remaining bunkers 104 to 107. In this process,however, according to the illustration in FIG. 2, the middle bunker 104,for example for receiving foils, can be filled by charging it via thedrop shafts 29, a conveyor belt 30 being able to transport this fractionaway separately.

During the sorting-out of the monofractions from the manual sortingbelts 24, 27, 28, these belts are customarily stationary. However, acustomary advance may also take place.

An alternative application, according to the illustration in FIG. 2,provides for the sorting belts 24, 27, 28 to have a separation point 41in the region of the last collection bunker 101, in order to permit thedropping of the residual fraction from these sorting belts 24, 27, 28into, for example, the bunker 101. This is shown in FIG. 2 for thesorting belts 24, 27 with an aperture at the separation point 41, sothat the residual mixture remaining on these belts falls into the bunker101. The upper third sorting section 28 shown in FIG. 2 has a closedseparation point 41, so that the residual fraction remaining on thisbelt is guided to a downstream conveyor belt 42. Naturally, theseparation points 41 of the sorting sections 24, 27 can also be closed,so that the belt section which follows likewise runs out on the conveyorbelt 42 or other belts.

The collection bunkers 101 to 107 have a width and height which make itpossible for a motor vehicle to be driven into these bunkers and to pushthe respectively collected monoproduct onto a downstream conveyor belt43. The respective monofraction is passed by this conveyor belt 43 to abaling press which is not shown in detail.

A working cycle on the respective manual sorting sections 24, 27, 28comprises picking up a monofraction and dropping it onto a collectorconveyor belt 31 to 33 connected in parallel. This collector conveyorbelt then has to be emptied during this working stroke, one of the twoends being moved with its drop region above the respectively assignedbunker. When this position is reached, the conveyor belt drive 40 mustbe switched on and the entire collector conveyor belt emptied. Duringthis period, no new fraction can be brought from the respective manualsorting sections onto the respective collector conveyor belts.Therefore, provision is made, according to the illustrations in FIGS. 4bto 4i, for a preliminary storage unit 46 to ensure that this period forthe emptying of the collector conveyor belts 31 to 33 does not passunutilized.

The initial position of the sorting operation is shown in FIG. 4a. Thiscorresponds to the mode of operation described earlier.

In FIG. 4b, the collector conveyor belt 31 to 33 is associated with acollector conveyor belt 31' to 33', arranged parallel to it, in a mannersuch that the operative 34 can in each case charge one of the collectorconveyor belts with a monofraction while the other collector conveyorbelt is being emptied into the respective bunker. In order to reach therespectively empty collector conveyor belt, the embodiment according toFIG. 4b has a deflector flap 44, which extends over the entire length ofthe collector conveyor belts and can be turned over into two positions.In the position shown in FIG. 4b, the deflector flap 44 is shown in theright-hand position, so that the left-hand collector conveyor belt 31 to33 can be charged with the monofraction. When this sorting-out operationis concluded, the deflector flap can be swung over into the position 44'(arrow 45), so that the parallel collector conveyor belt 31' to 33' canalready be charged with the next monofraction in sequence while theleft-hand collector conveyor belt is being emptied into the respectivelyassigned bunker. As a result, no idle times arise for the operatives.

The two collector conveyor belts can also be arranged one above theother as indicated in FIG. 4a, the upper belt 31, 32, 33 beingstationary and the lower belt 31', 32', 33' being longitudinallydisplaceable. As a result, the upper belt 31, 32, 33 can be emptied ontothe lower belt 31', 32', 33'. This saves the time taken by the lowerbelt 31', 32', 33' to move to the associated bunker.

According to the illustration in FIG. 4c, only one collector conveyorbelt 31 to 33 is again present. In this case, the monofraction 35 to 37is introduced into a preliminary storage unit 46, which is designed as astar conveyor 47 in a corresponding housing 48, according to theillustrative embodiment in FIG. 4c. The monofraction 35 to 37 sortedinto a chamber 49 of the star conveyor 47 is held in this position atleast until the collector conveyor belt 31 to 33 is emptied of thepreceding monofraction and is returned into the working position. Thepreliminary storage unit 46 in FIG. 4c is designed similarly to abucket-wheel sluice with a horizontal axis of rotation 50, it beingpossible for the individual chambers to be charged with the respectivemonofraction. For example, the operative 34 can, optionally, also chargea second chamber (upper chamber 51) with another fraction if this isnecessary.

FIGS. 4d, 4e likewise show a preliminary storage unit 46 in the form ofa three-vane star conveyor 52, which is fixed in a housing 48 resemblinga bucket-wheel sluice. In this arrangement, the star conveyor 52 isarranged in a Y shape in the charging position, with an upper V-shapedcharging chamber 49 for the monofraction 35 to 37. When the lowercollector conveyor belt 31 to 33 (FIG. 4d) is emptied, the star conveyorcan already be brought slowly into a dropping position for the loadedmonofraction.

In FIG. 4e, a pneumatic line 53 is provided instead of the collectorconveyor belt 31 to 33, and passes the monofraction introduced into theline to the associated bunker 101 to 107. In this case, the preliminarystorage unit 46 with the star conveyor 52 serves as bucket-wheel sluiceto seal the lower pneumatic line 53, which is subjected to the action ofpressure, against the environment.

The star conveyor 52 is therefore sealingly mounted in the bucket-wheelhousing 48.

FIGS. 4f-4g shows a further alternative embodiment of a preliminarystorage unit 46. In contrast to the illustration in FIGS. 4c to 4e, apreliminary storage unit 46 with a vertical axis of rotation 50 isprovided in the illustrative embodiment according to 4f and 4g, fourindividual chambers 49, for example, being provided according to thelower illustration in FIG. 4g, into which the respective monofraction isintroduced. In the illustrative embodiment, the individual chambers 49are of cylindrical design, three chambers being closed at their bottomsurfaces and the fourth chamber 49' being open toward the bottom inorder to pass the monofraction introduced into the chambers on to thecollector conveyor belt 31 to 33.

The preliminary storage unit 46 is, accordingly, designed similarly to aturret with individual drums. It can, however, also be designedsimilarly to a bucket-wheel sluice with V-shaped individual chambers,only one chamber in each case being open toward the bottom and thecollector conveyor belt. Instead of the collector conveyor belt 31 to33, the embodiment according to FIG. 4f-4g can, of course, also have apneumatic line as is shown in FIG. 4e.

The illustrations of the embodiment according to FIGS. 4h-4i initiallycorresponds to the embodiment according to FIG. 4a, with a manualsorting section 24, 27, 28, designed as a conveyor belt, from which theoperative 34 processes, for example, a mixed fraction 15, 22, 25 andsorts out from it, in each case, a monofraction 35, 36, 37 onto thecollector conveyor belt 31, 32, 33 situated below. This "normal" case isdescribed in FIG. 4a.

In practice, it has proven that the mixed fraction 15, 22, 25, etc., isobtained on the manual sorting section 24, 27, 28 in widely varyingamounts. For example, so-called hollow bodies and cups occur in muchhigher proportions than is the case for, for example, beverage cartons,aluminum and other products.

The embodiment according to FIGS. 4h and 4i, then, envisages that eachoperative 34 is assigned a number "n" of buffer boxes 108 to 110 orstorage boxes in the immediate area of operation, of length "a", intowhich monofractions occurring to a lesser extent or in lesser quantityare sorted for interim storage. As can be seen from FIGS. 4h and 4iupper picture and lower picture, three buffer boxes 108 to 110 lie, forexample, immediately in front of the operative 34 and somewhat above themanual sorting section 24, 27, 28, so that the operative can very easilyplace an individual fraction into one of these buffer boxes. Forexample, the buffer box 108 takes beverage cartons 105, the buffer box109 aluminum products 107, and the buffer box 110 other residues 111.The installation according to the invention can, then, be controlled sothat the collector conveyor belt 31 to 33 is charged, consecutively overtime, with a respective monofraction which occurs in relatively largequantities on the manual sorting section. For example, initially onlyhollow-body fractions are thrown onto the collector conveyor belt 31 to33, and these are cleared off the collector conveyor belt after acertain processing time. During this clearance period or belt emptyingperiod of the collector conveyor belt 31 to 33, the operative 34 caneasily place one or more of the monofractions 105, 107, 111 which occurto a lesser extent into the individual buffer boxes 108 to 110 and, inthis manner, make profitable use of the emptying period of the collectorconveyor belt. After this operation, for example, the secondmonofraction which occurs to a large extent, for example cups, canlikewise be placed on the collector conveyor belt 31 to 33, and thesubsequent emptying period of the collector conveyor belt is again usedto charge the buffer boxes 108 to 110. This sorting operation of thebuffer boxes, too, can, in each period of time, take place always intoone of the boxes only, or simultaneously into a plurality of boxes. Theoperative can, consequently, charge only the buffer box 108 with thefraction 105 (for example, beverage cartons) in the belt emptyinginterval.

In FIG. 4h, the emptying, for example, of the tilted buffer box 108 isshown in broken lines, the fraction 105 being tipped laterally out ofthis buffer box and falling onto the collector belt 31 to 33. Duringthis phase and the belt emptying phase, the operative 34 can of coursecharge one of the other two buffer boxes 109, 110 with the monofraction107, 111. The buffer boxes 108 to 110 can, consequently, be emptied in aparticular working rhythm. Only after a plurality of cycles ofmonofractions occurring to a large extent have been processed anddisposed of can one individual buffer box in each case, which has nowbecome full, be tilted for interim disposal and conveyed onto theconveyor belt 31 to 33. As a result of this measure, optimum utilizationof the emptying periods of the collector conveyor belts 31 to 33 ispossible.

The invention is not restricted to the illustrative embodiment which hasbeen illustrated and described, but also encompasses all technicalfurther developments within the scope of the concept of the invention.In particular, a further advantage of the installation according to theinvention lies in the fact that the air conditioning and thermal economycan be decisively improved. As a result of the fact that only a fewsorting cabin apertures are necessary, because of the inward and outwardmovement of the various material flows, the quantities of air requiredfor dust removal, disinfection and air conditioning can be significantlyreduced as compared with conventional solutions using the drop shaft.The air/volume ratio corresponds to the ratio of the free apertures.

With thermal outputs of, for example, 13.6 Wh/m³ of incoming air and atemperature difference of 38 degrees (-20 degrees outside temperature to+18 degrees sorting cabin temperature), the reduction in the volume ofair is related in a linear manner both to the reduction of thermaloutput and to the reduction of the air output.

A further advantage of the installation lies in the fact that the lattercan be adapted to virtually any desired sorting task by means of anappropriate control unit. The sorting cycles for each conveyor belt, andhence for each fraction, can be influenced by a "belt foreman" posted atthe start of the conveyor belt, using a foot or knee switch.

The total cycle time, in other words the programmed idle time for thesorting-out of 1, 2 or more fractions, can be set or influenced by themachine minder.

For new control systems, provision is made for the basic functions forthe operation of the installation to be set to a plurality of typicalpackaging mixtures via a keyboard or similar operating elements. In thiscase, the installation can also be switched over to continuousoperation.

In a further embodiment of the invention, it is also possible for alongitudinal division of the sorting belt 24, 27, 28 to be provided. Inthis case, provision is made for the sorting belt to be dividedlongitudinally into 2 or more chambers by an undulating edge or thelike, for the purpose of interim storage and, if appropriate, onwardtransportation of low-volume fractions, for which it is not worthwhileto switch over the collector belts and the distributor chutes.

We claim:
 1. An installation for sorting useful products, comprising:atleast one sorting section for supplying a variety of useful products forsorting therefrom a plurality of specific useful product monofractions;a plurality of useful product bins, each being designated to receive aspecific useful product monofraction from the variety of usefulproducts; and at least one collection device positioned parallel to saidsorting section for receiving the specific useful product monofractionand conveying the specific useful product monofraction from said sortingsection to a designated useful product bin, said collection device beingstill during a first operating cycle so that the specific useful productmonofraction can be received by said collection device, and beingoperatable during a second, successive operating cycle in which saidcollection device empties the specific useful product monofractionthereon into the designated useful product bin; said first and secondoperating cycles being repeatable for sorting at least an additionaldifferent specific useful product monofraction from the variety ofuseful products, said collection device comprising a mechanicalcollection conveyor belt which leads to various ones of said usefulproduct bins.
 2. An installation for sorting useful products,comprising:at least one sorting section for supplying a variety ofuseful products for sorting therefrom a plurality of specific usefulproduct monofractions; a plurality of useful product bins, each beingdesignated to receive a specific useful product monofraction from thevariety of useful products; and at least one collection devicepositioned parallel to said sorting section for receiving the specificuseful product monofraction and conveying the specific useful productmonofraction from said sorting section to a designated useful productbin, said collection device being still during a first operating cycleso that the specific useful product monofraction can be received by saidcollection device, and being operatable during a second, successiveoperating cycle in which said collection device empties the specificuseful product monofraction thereon into the designated useful productbin; said first and second operating cycles being repeatable for sortingat least an additional different specific useful product monofractionfrom the variety of useful products, said collection device comprising acollection displacement belt displaceable in a longitudinal direction sothat an end of said belt is positioned over a specific designated bin,and so that a respective monofraction of the variety of useful productscan be delivered to the specific designated bin from said belt.
 3. Aninstallation for sorting useful products, comprising:at least onesorting section for supplying a variety of useful products for sortingtherefrom a plurality of specific useful product monofractions; five toten useful product bins arranged side-by-side, each bin being designatedto receive a specific useful product monofraction from the variety ofuseful products; and at least one collection device positioned parallelto said sorting section for receiving the specific useful productmonofraction and conveying the specific useful product monofraction fromsaid sorting section to a designated useful product bin, said collectiondevice being still during a first operating cycle so that the specificuseful product monofraction can be received by said collection device,and being operatable during a second, successive operating cycle inwhich said collection device empties the specific useful productmonofraction thereon into the designated useful product bin; said firstand second operating cycles being repeatable for sorting at least anadditional different specific useful product monofraction from thevariety of useful products, said collection device comprising acollection conveyor belt arranged above the bins, said belt beingselectively displaceable in opposite longitudinal directions so that aselected one of two ends of said belt is positioned over a specificdesignated bin for delivering a monofraction of the variety of usefulproducts thereto.
 4. An installation for sorting useful products,comprising:at least one sorting section for supplying a variety ofuseful products for sorting therefrom a plurality of specific usefulproduct monofractions, said sorting section comprising a plurality ofsorting belts; a plurality of useful product bins, each being designatedto receive a specific useful product monofraction from the variety ofuseful products; and at least one collection device positioned parallelto said sorting section for receiving the specific useful productmonofraction and conveying the specific useful product monofraction fromsaid sorting section to a designated useful product bin, said collectiondevice being still during a first operating cycle so that the specificuseful product monofraction can be received by said collection device,and being operatable during a second, successive operating cycle inwhich said collection device empties the specific useful productmonofraction thereon into the designated useful product bin; said firstand second operating cycles being repeatable for sorting at least anadditional different specific useful product monofraction from thevariety of useful products, said collection device comprising aplurality of parallel-arranged collection conveyor belts, each of saidsorting belts being associated with a plurality of said conveyor belts.5. An installation for sorting useful products, comprising:at least onesorting section for supplying a variety of useful products for sortingtherefrom a plurality of specific useful product monofractions; aplurality of useful product bins, each being designated to receive aspecific useful product monofraction from the variety of usefulproducts; and a plurality of collection devices, each being positionedparallel to said sorting section for receiving the specific usefulproduct monofraction and conveying the specific useful productmonofraction from said sorting section to a designated useful productbin, said collection device being still during a first operating cycleso that the specific useful product monofraction can be received by saidcollection device, and being operatable during a second, successiveoperating cycle in which said collection device empties the specificuseful product monofraction thereon into the designated useful productbin; said first and second operating cycles being repeatable for sortingat least an additional different specific useful product monofractionfrom the variety of useful products; and control means operativelyconnected with said collection devices for controlling the actuation ofsaid collection devices as a function of each other.
 6. An installationfor sorting useful products, comprising:at least one sorting section forsupplying a variety of useful products for sorting therefrom a pluralityof specific useful product monofractions; a plurality of useful productbins, each being designated to receive a specific useful productmonofraction from the variety of useful products; and at least onecollection device positioned parallel to said sorting section forreceiving the specific useful product monofraction and conveying thespecific useful product monofraction from said sorting section to adesignated useful product bin, said collection device being still duringa first operating cycle so that the specific useful product monofractioncan be received by said collection device, and being operatable during asecond, successive operating cycle in which said collection deviceempties the specific useful product monofraction thereon into thedesignated useful product bin; said first and second operating cyclesbeing repeatable for sorting at least an additional different specificuseful product monofraction from the variety of useful products, saidcollection device comprising a first collection device and a secondcollection device for receiving an additional specific useful productmonofraction during the second operating cycle of said first collectiondevice.
 7. An installation for sorting useful products, comprising:atleast one sorting section for supplying a variety of useful products forsorting therefrom a plurality of specific useful product monofractions;a plurality of useful product bins, each being designated to receive aspecific useful product monofraction from the variety of usefulproducts; and at least one collection device positioned parallel to saidsorting section for receiving the specific useful product monofractionand conveying the specific useful product monofraction from said sortingsection to a designated useful product bin, said collection device beingstill during a first operating cycle so that the specific useful productmonofraction can be received by said collection device, and beingoperatable during a second, successive operating cycle in which saidcollection device empties the specific useful product monofractionthereon into the designated useful product bin; said first and secondoperating cycles being repeatable for sorting at least an additionaldifferent specific useful product monofraction from the variety ofuseful products, said collection device further comprising an interimstorage device located adjacent to said collection device for receivingand storing an additional specific useful product monofraction duringthe second operating cycle of said collection device.
 8. An installationfor sorting useful products, comprising:at least one sorting section forsupplying a variety of useful products for sorting therefrom a pluralityof specific useful product monofractions; a plurality of useful productbins, each being designated to receive a specific useful productmonofraction from the variety of useful products; and at least onecollection device positioned parallel to said sorting section forreceiving the specific useful product monofraction and conveying thespecific useful product monofraction from said sorting section to adesignated useful product bin, said collection device being still duringa first operating cycle so that the specific useful product monofractioncan be received by said collection device, and being operatable during asecond, successive operating cycle in which said collection deviceempties the specific useful product monofraction thereon into thedesignated useful product bin; said first and second operating cyclesbeing repeatable for sorting at least an additional different specificuseful product monofraction from the variety of useful products, saidcollection device moving the specific useful product monotracting duringthe second operating cycle; and at least one preliminary storage deviceassociated with at least one of said sorting section and said collectiondevice, for receiving at least one additional monofraction of thevariety of useful products during the movement of the specific usefulproduct monofraction and emptying of said collection device.
 9. Theinstallation according to claim 8, wherein said collection devicecomprises two parallel running collection conveyor belts, saidpreliminary storage device including a deflector flap directing themonofraction to a selected one of the two conveyor belts.
 10. Theinstallation according to claim 8, wherein said collection devicecomprises a collection conveyor belt, and said preliminary storagedevice comprises a star conveyor having a collection chamber forreceiving the additional monofraction, said star conveyor beingpivotable so that the monofraction contained within said collectionchamber falls onto the collection conveyor belt.
 11. The installationaccording to claim 8, wherein said collection device comprises one of amechanical conveying belt and a pneumatic conveying device, saidpreliminary storage device comprising a bucket wheel rotatable about ahorizontal rotational axis, said bucket wheel having chambers forreceiving the additional monofraction, whereby rotation of said bucketwheel causes the monofraction contained within said chambers to bedelivered to said collection device.
 12. The installation according toclaim 8, wherein said preliminary storage device comprises one of astationary bucket wheel and a drum magazine rotatable about a verticalaxis, and including a plurality of chambers for receiving the additionalmonofraction, wherein only one chamber is open toward the bottom forintermittent emptying.
 13. The installation according to claim 8,wherein said preliminary storage device comprises a plurality of bufferboxes associated directly with said sorting section and each receivingone respective additional monofraction.
 14. The installation accordingto claim 13, wherein each buffer box is emptied onto said collectiondevice only after several first and second operating cycles have beencompleted for other monofractions.
 15. The installation according toclaim 13, wherein said buffer boxes only receive monofractions whichoccur in small quantities relative to the variety of useful products.